Railing system

ABSTRACT

A rail system comprising a hand rail; at least one support post for supporting said hand rail in a position whereby a person walking adjacent to said hand rail can use it for support; at least one rod running parallel to said rail and connected to said at least one support post at a position from said hand rail; and an adjustable clevis connected said rod to said post, wherein said adjustable clevis can allow said rod to be positioned and maintain said rod in a position parallel to said hand rail.

The present application claims priority under 35 USC §119(e) from U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/549,188, filed 1 Mar. 2004 and entitled a “Railing System.”

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to railing systems and more particularly to a system that can be installed in a variety of different configurations.

2. Background of the Invention

Railing systems are used on stairs in buildings and on exterior structures. Often the railing systems include barriers located below the handrail itself. For example, it could be a metal sheet, a glass sheet or rods that run parallel to the handrail and are attached to the upright support that holds the handrails. Typically, these sheets or rods below the handrails are used for two purposes. One is to provide protection from somebody falling through under the handrail and over the stairs balcony. Additionally, they add a decorative effect to enhance the architectural or other ambiance of the structure in which they are used. A device sometimes used to attach the sheet or rods to the handrail support is called a clevis. The clevis is a connector that has on one end a fork shape protrusion that will connect to the upright support with a pin. At the second end it has a lateral hole through the clevis receives the rod, or it may form a two-part cap structure that holds the sheet of glass or metal.

Typically, for a railing system in which the clevis holds a rod or rail, the clevis is formed as a single piece. For a railing system running along a level surface the rod hole through the clevis is orientation at right angles to the grove of the fork. This allows the clevis to be attached to a projecting vertical protrusion of the support post with a pin that goes through the fork of the clevis and connects to this vertical protrusion. However, when the railing must go up an incline, such as a stairway, the orientation between the rod hole and the fork must change and the angular orientation being dependent on the angle of incline of the stairs. Thus, it is necessary to make different types of devises depending on the incline of the surface the railing system will be running across, be it level or on inclined surface.

Thus what is needed is some type of a system that is flexible enough to allow for proper orientation of the support or barrier rods to maintain them parallel to the handrail whether it is moving along at a level surface such as along a balcony or at an incline up or down a stairway.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood by an examination of the following description, together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stairway using a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a circular staircase with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the railing system of the present invention on a flat surface;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the railing system of the present invention on a stairway or inclined walkway;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along lines V-V of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a view of a portion of the railing circumscribed by dotted oval VI of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a view of a portion of the railing system encircled by dotted circle VII of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a view of the railing system circumscribed by dotted oval VII in FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view along line IX-IX of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a raised view of the clevis of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a raised view of the clevis of the present invention depicted in FIG. 10 rotated 90 degrees to the right;

FIG. 12 is a raised view of the clevis of the present invention depicted in FIG. 10 rotated 180 degrees;

FIG. 13 is a raised view of the bottom member of a clevis of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a raised view of the bottom portion of the clevis of the present invention depicted in FIG. 13 rotated 90 degrees to the right;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the bottom portion of the clevis depicted in FIG. 13 along the XV-XV;

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the bottom portion of the clevis depicted in FIG. 13 along line XVI-XVI;

FIG. 17 is a side view of the upper portion of the clevis of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view along the XVIII-XVIII of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view along line XIX-XIX of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19A is a another cross-sectional view along line XIX-XIX of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19B is a third cross-sectional view along line XIX-XIX of FIG. 17 a screw threaded into hole 66; and

FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional cut away view along line XX-XX of FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of a railing system on a stairway that uses the current invention. As can be seen, the handrail 21 is supported by vertical support structures 23. The vertical support structures are connected along the edge of the stairs 27. Below the handrail are the support rods 29. The support rods 29 are connected to the upright support structure 23 by clevis 31. The devises 31 have rod holes 33 through which the rods 39 pass. At the opposite end of the clevis is the fork 35, which connects by a pin inserted through a pinhole in the clevis and a hole in the flange or vertical projection 37 of support post 23. FIG. 2 provides a perspective view of the current invention employed on a railing system on a spiral type of staircase. Therein the same numbers referenced above reference the same parts.

FIG. 3 provides side view of a railing system on a flat or level surface, therein railing 21 support post 23 can be seen. Additionally, barrier rods 29 can be seen in their current orientation parallel to the ground as well as the rail 21. Additionally, devises 31 connect barrier rods 29 to each of support post 23.

FIG. 4 provides a side view of a railing system on an inclined ramp or on a set of stairs 41. As can be seen, the handrail 21 is parallel to inclined surface 41. Additionally, barrier rods 29 also are in an orientation that is parallel to handrail 21 and to inclined surface 41. However, as can be seen, the rods 29 are no longer in an orientation that is perpendicular or orthogonal to the support post 23 but are in fact orientated in a different angle. The angle the rods 29 set at maintains them in an orientation parallel to handrail 21.

FIG. 5 provides a cross-sectional view of the handrail system depicted in FIG. 3 where the orientation of the whole handrail systems goes along a level path 38. Handrail 21 is visible with support post 23 to which devises 31 are attached. Additionally, support rods connect through the retaining hole 33 of clevis 31. FIG. 6 is a close-up view of the portion of the railing is encircled by dotted oval VI of FIG. 3. In the close-up view handrail 21 and a portion of the support post 23 are visible. Additionally, barrier rods 29 are also visible. Clevises 31 connecting the barrier rods 29 to support post 23 are also visible.

FIG. 7 provides a close-up view of the railing system encircled by dotted circles VII of FIG. 5. In this cross-sectional orientation the railing is visible as well as the support post 23 and devises 31 with rod retaining hole 33 through which the barrier rods 29 run. FIG. 8 provides a close-up view of the section of the railing system enclosed by dotted oval VIII of FIG. 4 in which the railing and support post are visible. Additionally, support rods or barrier rods 29 are also visible. Barrier rods 29 being connected to the support post 23 by devises 31.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the railing system in along line IX-IX of FIG. 8. In this picture, the orientation of the railing 21 is at an oblique angle to the support post 23. Additionally, support rods or barrier rods 29 also appear in their parallel orientation to rail 29 and non-orthogonal orientation to support post 23.

One of the unique features of the system is the adjustable clevis which allows the barrier rods to be adjusted to an orientation that is parallel to the rail whether or not the railing system is running along a level section or if it is going up and down in an inclined plane or stairs. FIG. 10 provides a side view of clevis 31 of the present invention and shows its two-part structure with a cap 51 and fork end 53. Screw retaining hole 55 is also visible with the indentation of the barrier hole 33 partially visible to the right, this would be a counter clockwise rotation if one were looking at the top of clevis 31 and provides a view of clevis 31 of FIG. 10 wherein the whole clevis is rotated 90 degrees. In this side view the rod hole is clearly visible through cap 51. Additionally, pinhole 57 is visible through the base of fork portion 53. FIG. 12 provides a 180-degree rotation of the clevis depicted in FIG. 10. Therein, the cap 51 and fork portion 53 are visible as well as the fork shape itself.

FIG. 13 provides a side view of the bottom of fork portion 53. Therein in dotted outline of pinhole 57 which projects through the bottom portion of the fork portion 53 is indicated. Additionally, at the top of the fork portion 53 is a peg 61. Peg 61 has retaining groove 63, which circumscribes the entire peg 61. Upper flange 67 defines upper edge of groove 63. FIG. 14 provides a view of fork portion 53 rotated 90 degrees from the orientation depicted in FIG. 13. Therein, pinhole 57 is visible. Additionally, it can be seen that peg 61 is symmetrical in shape with a symmetrical groove 63 around its top. FIG. 15 provides a view of fork portion 53 along lines XV of FIG. 13 and pinhole 57 is visible therein which holds the pin which attaches the fork portion to the post 23. FIG. 16 is a view of fork portion 15 along line XVI of FIG. 13. This top orientation on the top of pin 61 is visible as well as the pinhole 57 in outline form. Additionally, in dotted outline form groove 63 can be seen and is provided for illustrated purposes.

FIG. 17 provides a side view of the cap portion 54 of clevis 31. Therein, screw retaining hole 55 is visible as well as the edge of rod retaining hole 33. FIG. 18 provides a cross-sectional view of cap portion 51 along line XVIII of FIG. 17. Therein in outline form can be seen orientation of rod retaining channel hole 33. Additionally, screw retaining hole 55 is visible. A screw can be threaded into hole 55 to thereby hold rod 29 that passes through rod retaining hole 33. FIG. 19 provides a view of cap portion 51 along line XIX of FIG. 17. Therein the hollow base 59 appears together with rod retaining channel hole 33 as well as screw retaining hole 55.

Screw hole 66 FIGS. 10 and 11 accepts a screw that projects into hollow opening 59 of cap 51. FIG. 19A another view of cross-sectional view XIX-XIX of FIG. 17 shows screw 67 that can be threaded into hole 67. FIG. 19B, 19A another view of cross-sectional view XIX-XIX of FIG. 17 shows screw 67 threaded into hole 66 with tip 67A projecting into hollow 59. FIG. 20 a cross-sectional cut away view along line XX-XX of FIG. 10 show how when cap 51 is attached to base 53 tip 67A of screw 67 projects into groove 63 to hold cap 51 to base 53 in a rotateable fashion.

The clevis works such that the hollow portion 59 of cap 51 fits snugly but rotatably over peg 62 at the top of fork base 53. A screw 71 is then threaded into screw retaining hole 55, which passes through hollow portion 59 of cap portion 51. When screwed into hole 55 then engages or projects into groove 63. This thereby prevents the cap portion 51 from being removed from fork portion 53 but allows it to rotate in a 360 degree circle. Thus, the rods that pass through the rod retaining hole 33 can be configured in any required orientation with respect to a handrail whether the railing system is on a level surface or moves up in an inclined or a stairway.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made to it without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A rail system comprising: a) a hand rail; b) at least one support post for supporting said hand rail in a position whereby a person walking adjacent to said hand rail can use it for support; c) at least one rod running parallel to said rail and connected to said at least one support post at a position from said hand rail; and d) an adjustable clevis connected said rod to said post, wherein said adjustable clevis can allow said rod to be positioned and maintain said rod in a position parallel to said hand rail.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one support post is a plurality of said posts. 